Anuppur and Jabalpur districts and isolated patches in central part of state. About 29% of wells
have recorded a depth of 2–5 mbgl which are
spreading over the Nimar plain, middle and
upper Narmada valley and adjoining middle and
eastern Satpura region. Such wells are also seen
in major part of Sagar, Damoh, Katni, Panna and
southern Chhatarpur districts. Depth to water
level ranging 5–10 mbgl is noticed prominently
in major part of the Malwa plateau, Shivpuri and
Ashoknagar of the Madhya Bharat plateau and
major part of the Bundelkhand region of the
state. Deeper groundwater levels ranging 10–20
mbgl are seen in a narrow continuous patch in
northern parts and in isolated patches in western
and eastern parts (Panna, Damoh, Rewa, Sidhi
and Singrauli districts) of the state. About 18% of
wells fall in this category. Groundwater level
more than 20 m are exception and are seen in
pockets in Morean, Bhind and Gwalior districts.
9.12 Trend of Groundwater Level
Groundwater is replenished from precipitation
and from surface water, but the rate of abstraction (withdrawal by humans) exceeds the rate of
natural recharge, leading to reduction of the
resource indicated by declining trend of water
level. Rising trend in groundwater levels can
occur as a result of natural climatic conditions
(heavy rainfall), changes in land use, construction of pond or reservoir or as a result of artificial
recharge to groundwater by rainwater harvesting.
Water level of November 2010 was compared
with the average water level of November (2001–
2009). In general, there was rise/fall in groundwater level of ±2 m in entire state during
November 2010 as compared to decadal average.
About 49% of wells showed a rise in water level.
Rise up to 2 m in groundwater level was noted in
39.8% of monitoring wells and between 2 and
4 m in 6.4% of monitoring wells. Rise more than
4 m in groundwater level was observed in 2.9% of
monitoring wells distributed in isolated manner.
Out of total monitoring wells fall is found in
51% of wells scattered throughout the state,
covering mainly parts of northern districts of
Morena, Bhind, Gwalior and Sheopur. Fall in
groundwater level up to 2 m was observed in
31.3% of monitoring wells and between 2 and
4 m in 10.5% of monitoring wells. Fall more
than 4 m in was observed in pockets in northern
half of the state, comprises 10.42% of monitoring
wells. Such a declining trend of water level of
dug wells is indication of declining water level as
a result of excessive extraction apart from poor
saturation of aquifers. In fact, problem is accentuated by the tube well with high yield of water.
In 2014–2015, total 6,65,658 tube wells as
against 2.01 million dug wells were used for
irrigation in this state. Therefore, regular monitoring of these tube wells should be mandatory.
9.13 Groundwater Quality
The groundwater quality in shallow aquifers of
Madhya Pradesh collected from National Monitoring Wells reveals that quality is generally
good for drinking purposes with Electrical Conductivity, and Residual Sodium Bicarbonate
parameters showing low range of corresponding
values, except for high nitrate concentration
recorded at many places. The distribution of EC
in groundwater shows that in most parts of the
area it is in the range of 750–1500 s/cm.
Moderate to high EC in the range of 1500 s/cm
to 3000 s/cm is found in pockets of north, central
and western parts of the state; while it is high to
very high EC, more than 3000 s/cm in a few
localized pockets in parts of Bhind, Ratlam
Indore, Gwalior, Sheopur, Khargone and Jhabua
districts.
Nitrate is a non-essential constituent of
groundwater and concentration of nitrate in
excess of 45 mg/l in water is harmful for human
consumption. In about 38.5% water samples,
nitrate concentration is above 45 mg/l and in
about 104 water samples, nitrate concentration is
above 100 mg/l. Very high nitrate concentration
of 546 mg/l was found in the groundwater sample from Khargone district followed by 380 mg/l
in groundwater of Dewas district.
Fluoride concentration is generally low except
in some samples. The fluoride in excess of
9 Water Resources of Madhya Pradesh: Contemporary …
119
have recorded a depth of 2–5 mbgl which are
spreading over the Nimar plain, middle and
upper Narmada valley and adjoining middle and
eastern Satpura region. Such wells are also seen
in major part of Sagar, Damoh, Katni, Panna and
southern Chhatarpur districts. Depth to water
level ranging 5–10 mbgl is noticed prominently
in major part of the Malwa plateau, Shivpuri and
Ashoknagar of the Madhya Bharat plateau and
major part of the Bundelkhand region of the
state. Deeper groundwater levels ranging 10–20
mbgl are seen in a narrow continuous patch in
northern parts and in isolated patches in western
and eastern parts (Panna, Damoh, Rewa, Sidhi
and Singrauli districts) of the state. About 18% of
wells fall in this category. Groundwater level
more than 20 m are exception and are seen in
pockets in Morean, Bhind and Gwalior districts.
9.12 Trend of Groundwater Level
Groundwater is replenished from precipitation
and from surface water, but the rate of abstraction (withdrawal by humans) exceeds the rate of
natural recharge, leading to reduction of the
resource indicated by declining trend of water
level. Rising trend in groundwater levels can
occur as a result of natural climatic conditions
(heavy rainfall), changes in land use, construction of pond or reservoir or as a result of artificial
recharge to groundwater by rainwater harvesting.
Water level of November 2010 was compared
with the average water level of November (2001–
2009). In general, there was rise/fall in groundwater level of ±2 m in entire state during
November 2010 as compared to decadal average.
About 49% of wells showed a rise in water level.
Rise up to 2 m in groundwater level was noted in
39.8% of monitoring wells and between 2 and
4 m in 6.4% of monitoring wells. Rise more than
4 m in groundwater level was observed in 2.9% of
monitoring wells distributed in isolated manner.
Out of total monitoring wells fall is found in
51% of wells scattered throughout the state,
covering mainly parts of northern districts of
Morena, Bhind, Gwalior and Sheopur. Fall in
groundwater level up to 2 m was observed in
31.3% of monitoring wells and between 2 and
4 m in 10.5% of monitoring wells. Fall more
than 4 m in was observed in pockets in northern
half of the state, comprises 10.42% of monitoring
wells. Such a declining trend of water level of
dug wells is indication of declining water level as
a result of excessive extraction apart from poor
saturation of aquifers. In fact, problem is accentuated by the tube well with high yield of water.
In 2014–2015, total 6,65,658 tube wells as
against 2.01 million dug wells were used for
irrigation in this state. Therefore, regular monitoring of these tube wells should be mandatory.
9.13 Groundwater Quality
The groundwater quality in shallow aquifers of
Madhya Pradesh collected from National Monitoring Wells reveals that quality is generally
good for drinking purposes with Electrical Conductivity, and Residual Sodium Bicarbonate
parameters showing low range of corresponding
values, except for high nitrate concentration
recorded at many places. The distribution of EC
in groundwater shows that in most parts of the
area it is in the range of 750–1500 s/cm.
Moderate to high EC in the range of 1500 s/cm
to 3000 s/cm is found in pockets of north, central
and western parts of the state; while it is high to
very high EC, more than 3000 s/cm in a few
localized pockets in parts of Bhind, Ratlam
Indore, Gwalior, Sheopur, Khargone and Jhabua
districts.
Nitrate is a non-essential constituent of
groundwater and concentration of nitrate in
excess of 45 mg/l in water is harmful for human
consumption. In about 38.5% water samples,
nitrate concentration is above 45 mg/l and in
about 104 water samples, nitrate concentration is
above 100 mg/l. Very high nitrate concentration
of 546 mg/l was found in the groundwater sample from Khargone district followed by 380 mg/l
in groundwater of Dewas district.
Fluoride concentration is generally low except
in some samples. The fluoride in excess of
9 Water Resources of Madhya Pradesh: Contemporary …
119